213 Miles From Shea

In his last two starts, Jacob deGrom was masterful through 7 innings. Then in one start he kicked off the 8th inning a bad way and the bullpen had a historic meltdown. In the next start the bullpen had a meltdown on their own in the 8th inning. Last night broke the trend! Jacob dominated through 7.1 innings and the bullpen held the game together as the Mets took the opener in the series from the Padres.

Jason Vargas will finally make his Mets debut tonight after breaking his catching hand in Spring Training. Jason, signed to increase the depth of the Mets rotation, now becomes a critical piece as Harvey has landed himself in the bullpen and Matz and Wheeler are raising questions again. Last year, an All-Star season, Jason went 18-11 over 32 games and 179.2 innings posting a 4.16 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 1.330 WHIP and 109 ERA+. If he sounds familiar to you, like you swear you’ve seen him in the orange in blue, well first, you’re correct, and second, thanks for following the Mets for over 10 years! Vargas pitched 10.1 innings for the Mets in 2007 leading to 14 ER from 17 hits and 2 walks. He has made one career start in San Diego where he allowed 2 runs from 7 hits and 2 walks in 6.0 innings. The Padres have the following numbers against him:

• Hosmer 1-13, 2 BB, 3 K
• Headley 3-13, 5 K
• Myers 1-7, 2 BB, 3 K
• Ellis 2-3

The Mets bats will face Joey Lucchesi tonight for the first time. The rookie is 2-1 over 5 games and 26.2 innings with a 2.70 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 1.125 WHIP and 141 ERA+. He’s coming off his worst start of the season allowing 4 runs in 5.0 innings from 5 hits and 4 walks. His first start of the season also wasn’t the best, which combined with his ERA/FIP/WHIP numbers let you know how dominate he was in starts 2-4. Joey was 11-7 in 139.0 innings last year in the minors with a 2.20 ERA and 2.78 RAvg striking out 148 batters and walking only 33. He split the season in High A and AA. The Padres, seeing something the rest of the world was just starting to (he was a fringe top 100 prospect if that at the time) moved him to start the second game of the season this year.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Bristol (TN/VA) Pirates provided one of the best places I’ve ever seen a minor league baseball game at. Probably because the game was played with Blue Ridge Mountains as a back drop. Stunning.

When I went to the game, the local high school band was running the concession stand. I ordered the Crow’s Nest (get it? Bristol PIRATES?)

Essentially, it’s a walking taco featuring fritos and paper container rather the bag of chips itself. It’s also delicious.

The Mets luck with come back wins in extra innings was going to come to an end soon and soon decided to come yesterday. The Mets found themselves in a gem of a pitching match-up between Noah Syndergaard and Carlos Martinez. Both team’s bullpens faltered late in the game and the Mets and Cards played free baseball for the matinee crowd in St. Louis. After the Mets took the lead, they promptly gave it back up and game toiled along for a few more innings until it came to its inevitable end in the 13th. I think I speak for many people when I say: It’s a relief the Mets don’t match up again with the Cardinals for the rest of the regular season.

Anyway, the Mets head to the most perfect place in the United States tonight: San Diego. Jacob deGrom will get the start, he’s 2-0 over 5 starts and 32.0 innings with a 2.53 ERA, 2.35 FIP, 1.031 WHIP and a 154 ERA+. His last start may be his best as he allowed no runs off 4 hits and 2 walks in 7.0 innings with 10 K’s, his second game in a row with at least double digit strikeouts. Last year in San Diego Jacob held the Padres to 2 runs off 2 hit sand 5 hits over 8.0 innings with 8 K’s. The Padres have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Galvis 8-25, 6 K
• Myers 1-9, HR, BB, 4 K
• Ellis 1-6, 2 BB
• Headley 1-7
• Hosmer 2-3
• Renfroe 1-3, HR

The Mets’ bats will see veteran Clayton Richard tonight who is 1-2 over 5 starts and 27.0 innings with a 5.67 ERA, 5.42 FIP, 1.630 WHIP and 68 ERA+. His first start was by far his best of the season where he went 7.0 innings allowing 1 run, he has a 7.20 ERA in 20.0 innings in his last four starts. Last season he was 8-15 over 32 starts pitching 197.1 innings with a 4.79 ERA, 4.23 FIP, 1.515 WHIP and 87 ERA+. He did lead the league last year in losses (15, although not the best stat), hits (240), and complete games (2, which I’m assuming a handful of pitchers had). Last year against the Mets he allowed 5 runs from 12 hits and 2 walks over 8.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Clayton:

• Bruce 7-22, 3 2B
• Gonzalez 11-20
• Reyes 4-18, HR, 3 BB
• Cabrera 7-13, 4 2B
• Flores 2-5, 2 HR
• Conforto 1-5, 2B
• Frazier 4-5, 2B, HR
• Cespedes 1-2, 3B, 2 BB

Let’s Go Mets!

Last night was not the Mets night, but they get a chance at the rubber game today with Noah Syndergaard on the night. Hidden in the Mets hot start this year is a concern about how reliable their starters are, especially after last year’s injury and off year for most of the rotation. Steven Matz struggled mightily last night as the Mets got crushed by the Cardinals but today is a new day and the Mets have a day game to look forward too.

Noah Syndergaard makes his 6th start today. So far he has tossed 27.1 innings with a 3.29 ERA, 2.40 FIP, 1.061 WHIP, and a 118 ERA+. He had an average start last time out in Atlanta where he allowed 3 runs over 6.0 innings. Previous to that he allowed 3 runs, 1 earned over 11.1 innings. His first start of the season was against the Cardinals where he allowed 4 runs off 6 hits and no walks in 6.0 innings while striking out 10. The Cardinals have the following numbers against him:

• Ozuna 2-17, HR, 6 K
• Fowler 1-8, BB
• Molina 3-9, 2B, HR
• Pham 2-7
• Carpenter 1-5, 2B
• Gyorko 1-6, HR
• Wong 1-5
• Jose Martinez 3-3, HR
• DeJong 1-2

The Mets will say good bye to the Cardinals in the regular season by facing Carlos Martinez, the two-time all-star. He is 2-1 over 5 starts and 31.2 innings this year with a 1.42 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 1.137 WHIP and 272 ERA+. His worst start of the season, by far, was his first one against the Mets where he allowed 5 runs, 4 earned, over 4.1 innings while walking 6 and allowing 4 hits. Then in his next four starts he has posted a 0.33 ERA from 1 run over 27.1 innings while striking out 32. The Mets have the following numbers against Carlos:

• Gonzalez 4-19, 2B, HR, 5 BB
• Bruce 4-20, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB
• Frazier 3-17, BB
• Cespedes 5-15, 2B, HR, BB
• Reyes 4-13, 2B, HR
• Cabrera 2-9, 2B, 2 BB
• Lagares 2-5
• Flores 1-5
• Lobaton 1-4
• Rosario 1-2
• Conforto 0-3

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets will go for two in a row tonight against the Cardinals after last night’s extra inning win! The Mets fell into an early 2-0 hole which they cut to 2-1 thanks to a Bruce triple. Fast forward a bit, Wheeler was struggling and left the game when it was 4-1 Cardinals, which was the presumed score Harvey was going to enter the game under but then Cespedes hit a 463-ft, 115.1 mph homer, tied the game. Harvey would allow a run, the Mets would score another run before Bruce ended it on a go-ahead solo shot in the 10th inning. A Bruce sandwich of a game with monster-Cespedes in the middle.

Matz will look to get the job done for the Mets tonight in his 5th start of the season. He’s 1-1 over 18.1 innings so far with a 4.42 ERA, 5.69 FIP, 1.145 WHIP and 88 ERA+. His first start of the season was against the Cardinals on a cold, April, Sunday afternoon and he had a rough go of it allowing 3 runs over 4 runs from 4 hits and 3 walks thanks to two homers. He has now allowed exactly 3 earned runs in three of his four starts this season. The Cardinals have the following numbers against Steven:

• Ozuna 4-13, 2B, 2 BB
• Fowler 2-8
• Carpenter 1-3, 2B, 2 BB
• Pham 4-4, HR, BB
• DeJong 3-3, 2 HR, BB
• Gyorko 0-4
• Molina 1-4, HR

The Mets bats draw Michael Wacha who is 3-1 over as many starts this season pitching 21.1 innings with a 4.22 ERA, 4.68 FIP, 1.453 WHIP and 92 ERA+. He is coming off his best start of the season against the Reds where he held them to one run over 6.2 innings with 6 hits and a walk. His first start of the season was against the Mets where he allowed 4 runs over 4.2 innings from 5 hits (two of them being homers) and 2 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Wacha:

• Bruce 1-31, BB, 13 K
• Frazier 7-26, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB
• Gonzalez 2-19, 2B, 3 BB
• Cabrera 1-5, 2B
• Cespedes 2-6, HR
• Lobaton 0-6
• Reyes 0-6
• Lagares 1-5
• Conforto 2-4, 2B
• Flores 0-4

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets are coming off of the uncommon, unplanned, double off-day thanks to a rain out in Atlanta on Sunday and a travel day yesterday. For the Mets, it may be a good thing the game got rained out to give some physical distance between Saturday’s disastrous end and tonight’s game. In case you forgot, or have blocked it from your mind, here’s a recap! Jacob deGrom had an excellent game. Immediately after he pitched his last frame, the Mets put up 3 runs. The bullpen gave back 2 runs in the 8th and 2 runs in the 9th. Game Over.

Zack Wheeler has allowed 4 runs in 13.0 innings this year from 9 hits and 4 walks leading to a small sample size 2.77 ERA, 3.69 FIP, 1.000 WHIP and 141 ERA+. If we go one step farther and look at his game log, his first start was a 1 run, 7 inning gem, and his second start (against a good Nationals team despite what their record says) was an average 3 run over 6 inning performance. Wheeler faced the Cardinals in back to back starts last year first allowed 2 runs off 8 hits and a walk in 6.0 innings in St. Louis and then allowed 4 runs off 7 hits and 4 walks in 5.1 innings in Queens. The Cardinals have the following numbers against him:

• Ozuna 3-15, 3B,, 6 K
• Gyorko 1-9
• Carpenter 2-5, 2B
• Molina 3-6, 2B
• Pham 2-3, 3 BB
• DeJong 3-5, 2B, 2 HR

The Mets bats draw Luke Weaver who is 2-1 over 4 starts and 21.1 innings this season posting a 4.22 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 1.266 WHIP and 90 ERA+. Last season he pitched in 13 games, 10 starts, totaling 60.1 innings with a 3.88 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 1.260 WHIP and 109 ERA+. His first start of the year this year was against the Mets where he held the Mets to 1 run over 5.0 innings with 5 hits, 3 walks and 3 K’s in a game the Cardinals won fairly decisively. The Mets have the following numbers against Luke:

• Bruce 1-3, 2B
• Cabrera 1-3
• Cespedes 1-3
• Frazier 0-2, BB
• Flores 0-2
• Lagares 1-2
• Rosario 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!

For the second time this season, Jacob deGrom threw a gem across 7 innings of work and for the second time this season, something happened in the 8th inning to erase that gem. Last night, after 7 scoreless innings from both starters, the Mets scraped together 3 runs in the 8th inning and left two runners on base. The runners left on base ended up being the difference as the Braves scored 2 in the 8th and 2 in the 9th to win the game. Now the Mets will need a strong performance from Wheeler and their bats to split the series with the Braves today.

Wheeler has allowed 4 runs in 13.0 innings this year from 9 hits and 4 walks leading to a small sample size 2.77 ERA, 3.69 FIP, 1.000 WHIP and 141 ERA+. If we go one step farther and look at his game log, his first start was a 1 run, 7 inning gem, and his second start (against a good Nationals team despite what their record says) was an average 3 run over 6 inning performance. He avoided the Braves last season and in 2014, the last time he faced Atlanta, he had a 1-2 record over 5 games with a 2.97 ERA in 30.1 innings of work. The Braves have the following numbers against him:

• Freeman 7-14, 2 2B, HR, 9 BB (.667 OBP in 24 PAs)
• Suzuki 1-2
• Flowers 1-1, HR

The Mets draw Mike Folynewicz who looks better than he has at any point in his career. He is 1-1 over 4 starts and 21.1 innings with a 2.53 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 1.266 WHIP and 154 ERA+. His only smudge so far is 4 wild pitches, the most in the league, which already ties his mark for wild pitches in 154 innings of work last year. Speaking of last year he had a 4.79 ERA, 1.481 WHIP, 4.33 FIP and 89 ERA+. The last time he faced the Mets though was 2016 where he allowed 4 runs from 8 hits and 2 walks in 3.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Frazier 1-8, HR, BB
• Bruce 1-5
• Cabrera 3-5, 2B, HR
• Cespedes 1-5, HR
• Flores 2-4, 2B
• Conforto 1-3
• Lagares 1-3

Let’s Go Mets!

The resilient Mets bounced back and won again! The Mets found themselves in a quick 1-0 hole last night, a day after a beating by the Braves, but bounced back with a 5-3 win in the 12th inning. Once again the hero of the night was Cespedes who (again) was slumping and had a go-ahead hit. Tonight Jacob deGrom takes on long time Brave Julio Teheran with The 7 Line Army in town. It’s going to be a noisy one down south!

Jacob deGrom is 2-0 over 4 starts and 25.0 innings with a 3.24 ERA, 2.62 ERA, 1.080 WHIP and 119 ERA+. He became the first Mets starting pitcher to pitch into the 8th inning in his last start, but quickly allowed to Nationals base runners on, and then the bullpen had an epic meltdown which led to the first horrible Mets loss of the season. Last year he was 2-0 over 3 starts against the Braves allowing 6 runs from 15 hits and 8 walks in 18.0 innings (3.00 ERA, 1.278 WHIP). The Braves have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Freeman 7-28, 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 7 K
• Markakis 7-23, HR
• Inciarte 4-18, 2B, 5 K
• Teheran 3-6 (Really)
• Swanson 1-3
• Suzuki 0-5
• Bourjos 0-3

The Mets bats draw former All-Star and long time foe, Julio Teheran who is 1-1 over 4 games this season pitching 20.0 innings with a 5.40 ERA, 1.650 WHIP, 6.39 FIP and 72 ERA+. His numbers right now are deceiving as in his last two starts he has allowed only 3 runs over  6.0 innings with 16 K’s (his first two starts were horrible though). Last season he was 11-13 over 32 games and 188.1 innings with a 4.49 ERA (all full season career high), 1.3750 WHIP, 4.95 FIP and 96 ERA+. It just wasn’t his year last year compared to previous seasons. Last year he was 1-2 over 5 starts and 30.1 innings against the Mets posting a 3.26 ERA and 1.253 WHIP. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Bruce 7-28, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB
• Reyes 4-24, 2 3B, 2 BB, 6 K
• Cabrera 7-23, 2 2B, 2 BB
• Flores 3-21, HR, 3 BB
• Lobaton 7-21, 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB
• Gonzalez 5-18, 2B, HR, 3 BB
• Lagares 4-21
• Cespedes 4-18
• Frazier 3-14, HR
• Conforto 3-12, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

Yesterday was not the Mets day. Harvey allowed 3 runs in the first inning and a total of 6 runs over the first three and the Mets were never able to climb out of that hole as they lost 12-4. Before we start to look towards today it is important to note that Harvey settled down after allowing 6 runs to not allow any more runs over the next 3 innings of work but Harvey’s lock on a rotation spot after his next time through is starting to evaporate.

Thor is a good remedy for a bad day! Noah Syndergaard makes his 5th start of the season tonight. He is 2-0 over 21.1 innings with a 2.95 ERA, 1.031 WHIP, 2.10 FIP and 87 ERA+. He is coming off a strong, albeit short, start where he allowed 1 run, not earned, over 5.1 innings against the Marlins where he allowed 2 hits and a walk while striking out 11. In his last three starts he has a 1.76 ERA and opponents are hitting .193 against him, but he has allowed 5 walks in 15.1 innings, eating into his pitch total and how far he can go in a game.  The last time he faced the Braves was his first start last season where he allowed 5 hits and no walks with no runs over 6.0 innings. The Braves have the following numbers against Thor:

• Markakis 3-9, BB
• Freeman 5-9, 2B, 3B, HR
• Inciarte 1-5
• Swanson 3-5
• Bourjos 0-4

The Mets bats draw Swan Newcomb who will make his 4th start of the season. So far he is 1-1 over 15.2 innings allowing 9 runs, 7 earned from 16 hits, 8 walks and 22 K’s leading to a 4.02 ERA, 3.52 FIP, 1.532 WHIP and 98 ERA+. In his rookie year, last season, he pitched in 19 games with 100.0 innings of work posting a 4.32 ERA, 4.19 FIP, 1.570 WHIP and 99 ERA+. Three of his 19 starts were against the Mets where he pitched 16.2 innings allowing 6 runs, 5 earned off 14 hits and 7 walks while striking out 22. The Mets have the following numbers against Sean:

• Cabrera 5-9, 2B
• Reyes 1-9, 3 K
• Lagares 0-7
• Nimmo 0-6, 3 K
• Cespedes 0-3
• Conforto 0-2, BB
• Flores 2-3

Let’s Go Mets!

Whoa! What a difference an inning can make! Two nights ago the Nationals had a crazy 8th inning that led to the Mets losing two games in a row and feeling of dread building across the fan base. Last night the Nationals took an early lead and for a while it looked like the Nationals would sweep the Mets at home, erasing the Mets trip to DC last week. Then the Mets had a crazy 8th of their own, capped by a Grand Slam by Cespedes, and now they feel invincible again!

The Mets will start a 10 game road trip today with a four game set in Atlanta. The Braves have slowed the Phillies roll this past week and now both clubs are tied for second in the division at 10-7 and have some injury concerns of their own like Sanchez who was scheduled to pitch tonight and was injured in workouts and Freddie Freeman, and early MVP candidate, who took a pitch off the wrist yesterday.

Harvey will make the first start of the roadtrip. He is 0-1 over 3 games and 15.0 innings allowing 8 runs from 18 hits with a 4.80 ERA, 4.72 FIP, 1.400 WHIP and 79 ERA+. After a great first start of the season where he held the Phillies scoreless over 5.0 innings, Harvey has allowed 4 runs in each of his last two starts lasting 5.0 innings each. Which Harvey will the Mets get tonight? Is he more Tw0-Face than Dark Knight? Last year he was 1-2 over 4 games against the Braves allowing 14 runs from 20 hits and 10 walks in 21.1 innings while striking out 10. The Braves have the following numbers against him:

• Freeman 5-26, 4 2B, HR, BB, 6 K
• Markakis 6-22, 2B, 4 BB, 6 K
• Inciarte 5-21, 2 2B
• Suzuki 2-12, HR, 2 BB
• Swanson 1-7, 3 BB
• Flowers 0-5
• Bourjos 1-3

As of writing this, the Braves still haven’t officially announced which starting pitcher they will utilize tonight as they are deciding between Lucas Sims or Matt Wisler. Sims was 3-6 over 14 games and 10 starts last year pitching 57.2 innings posting a 5.62 ERA, 5.07 FIP and 1.509 WHIP. He has made one minors start this year allowing 3 hits and no runs over 4.0 innings while walking 2 and striking out 7. In two games and a start against the Mets last year he allowed 4 runs from 8 hits and 3 walks in 8.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Sims:

• Lagares 3-4
• Nimmo 1-3, BB
• Rosario 0-4
• Reyes 1-2
• Nido 0-2
• Cabrera 0-1

Last Season Wisler was 0-1 over 20 games and one start in 32.1 innings with a 8.35 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 1.732 WHIP. In the previous year he pitched 156.2 innings with a 5.00 ERA, 4.85 FIP and 1.328 WHIP. In 11.0 innings against the Mets last season, more than any other team, he allowed 11 runs from 15 hit and 7 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Matt:

• Conforto 5-13, 2B, 4 BB
• Cabrera 3-12, 2B
• Cespedes 2-10, 2B
• Plawecki 2-7, BB
• Bruce 4-8, 2 HR, BB
• Flores 3-9, 2B, 3B
• Gonzalez 4-8, 2B, 3B
• Lagares 2-6

Let’s Go Mets!